Certain types of non-volatile memory store data in storage cells. To program a storage cell from an erased state to a programmed state (e.g., from a binary one to a binary zero or the like), a controller for the storage cell may apply various electrical fields to a tunnel oxide layer of the storage cell, by applying a program voltage to a floating gate of the storage cell or the like. To erase a storage cell (e.g., from a binary zero to a binary one or the like), the controller may apply another electrical field to the tunnel oxide layer of the storage cell, by applying an erase voltage to the floating gate of the storage cell or the like.
Electrical fields in a tunnel oxide layer of a storage cell, however, may deteriorate when power is not applied. Therefore, when a device loses power and is powered down for a period of time, the stored electrical charge or read voltage level may gradually decrease. A change in the read voltage level of a storage cell may result in bit errors and other data integrity problems.
Additionally, many non-volatile memory devices may expect entire erase blocks to be programmed and may be designed to compensate for program disturb effects on one page due to programming of a neighboring page. However, powering down a memory device may result in an erase block being incompletely or partially programmed, with a portion of the erase block partially unused. A partially programmed erase block may have data errors in the last programmed page, because the neighboring page was never programmed but the device may still compensate for the expected disturb effects of the neighboring page.